whatchamacallit alcohol stove

[zelph]

All the right parts came together to make up this combination stove. Help me come up with a name for it.

I made it with an aluminum bottle "Snapple Energy" drink.

A can from a can of chicken in water.

A piece of fiberglass wick.

I JB welded the can to the bottom of the bottle, inserted the wick into the can, poured in 2 cups of water, lit it, 7.25 min later I had a rolling boil. Water temperature at the start was 70 degrees. Air temperature was 58 degrees.

I used 1/2 ounce of fuel.

Total weight for the combination stove with integral pot = 110 grams/3.8 ounces.

I know this design goes against stove making pricipals, the one that says you don't want the flames to go out from under the pot bottom and up the sides. Well this one shows how those hot flames on the side of your pot can really be an asset.

I
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[StarLyte]

GOSH I love when you do this Zelph.....I wish I were there when you make these stoves!!! I know you are having a lot of fun!

....okay.......seriously now.....I think you should call it the "Snapstove"

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Sweet. I may have to make one. As for what to call it - Snapendipity

[Egads]

Zelph,

I noticed in your picture that you are heating the aluminum bottle with the cap screwed on. This is potentially dangerous if the cap seals tightly & steam pressure builds up. The aluminum bottle can fail with catastrophic results.

Egads

[Skidsteer]

I doubt Zelph has his lid screwed on tight.

Zelph, how much of a PITA is it to fill with alcohol? Novel idea....

[zelph]

Top is not screwed on, threads have been removed, sitting there loose. Wiggles when water comes to rolling boil.

Not a PITA at all. Fuel is poured onto bottle at wicks edge, follows bottle surface right down along side wick. Easy, easy, easy!!!!!!!!!!

This is a one piece unit
No pot stand required

Novel Idea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

I wasn't sure about the cap - after all, zelph has been known to posts about exploding stoves....

[zelph]

Found an aluminum cup just the right diameter to make the bottom fuel holder. A project for this weekend.

My next stove design will be named StarLyte. Should be ready next week.

I was thinking of scrounging the top vent off a pressure cooker and making one of these "snapstoves" into a pressure cooker. I would use the 5 pound setting on the jiggler thingy. Do you think it would work? Does pressurized water boil faster?

90 percent of backpackers use their stoves for boiling water only, right? Most freezer bag it and use the water for drinks right?

This snapstove would be for water only.

Any ideas on a source for larger aluminum containers twice the height and twice the diameter of this snapple bottle. No need to be exact.

[LIhikers]

Preassurized water boils at a higher temperature, all other things being equal.

[sum41punk91]

Any ideas on a source for larger aluminum containers twice the height and twice the diameter of this snapple bottle. No need to be exact.

hey zelph the only thing i could think of was the largest MSR fuel bottle as for the stove i like good idea.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

I was thinking of scrounging the top vent off a pressure cooker and making one of these "snapstoves" into a pressure cooker. I would use the 5 pound setting on the jiggler thingy. Do you think it would work? Does pressurized water boil faster?

KABOOM !!!

[zelph]

KABOOM !!! my hopes just went up in smoke/heat/chrapnel what a downer!!!!!!!!

Thanks Sum Punk I know where to get an empty but not until Tue.

Thanks LI, why does a pressure cooker cook faster?

Zelph, are you having fun?

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Just teasing you, Zelph. Seriously, I doubt the thin can walls could withstand even 5 lbs of pressure. As to how pressure cookers work:http://missvickie.com/workshop/howdoesit.html - Cliff notes version - pressurized steam is hotter and pentatrates food better.

[Two Speed]

. . . I was thinking of scrounging the top vent off a pressure cooker and making one of these "snapstoves" into a pressure cooker. I would use the 5 pound setting on the jiggler thingy. Do you think it would work? Does pressurized water boil faster?

You may want to reconsider this one; you really, really need to know what pressure the vessel will theoretically withstand before attempting a test, and I sure as heck would not load it anywhere close to that theoretic pressure. Please note that when dealing with potential explosives (or potentially explosive devices) Mr. Safety Factor is your very bestest friend.

FYI

• Steam explosions have killed, maimed and crippled a lot of people. Even if you don't get an out-and-out explosion a high temp scald from 250 degree steam ain't nothing to laugh about.
• The design of pressure vessels is it's own world, full of nasty complications.
• Just because it works on the first test does not mean that the device will withstand repetive loading cycles. Mr. Safety Factor is your friend, however Mr. Repetive Stress can kick Mr. Safety Factor's butt under the right conditions.
• Any reduction if fuel consumption is likely going to be offset by the heavier and/or thicker materials required to control the pressure
• Any benefit offered by pressure cooking probably can be obtained by cozy cooking and meal planning, without the safety implications.

Frankly, I'm a little lost on what you're trying to achieve here. What benefit are you trying to obtain?

[zelph]

Got sidetracked, went wild on my thoughts. Started thinking of a way to use the pot to carry water. Went through my STUFF and found this Brunton 1.0 litre water flask. It holds 4 cups of water, so I chose to work with it so I could carry my water in it, heat the water in it, use 2 cups of the water for my Rahmen noodles and the remaining 2 cups for hot chocolate.

Scrounged, found an aluminum cup the right size for the base, put the fiberglass cloth in, 35ml of denatured/1 oz.+, 13.5 min. later, 4 cups of water at rolling boil.

Had to try the windscreen idea . Made one out of al flashing that is 10 in. high with 1/2 inch holes at its base, fits close to burner base. Thought I'd try to capture some of the heat going out the top so I put on a 2 cup capacity pot. After ten min. of heating it was at a rapid boil and the top two cups of water got to 140 degrees.(good enough to wash my hands) So, thats 4 cups of water boiled in 10 min. Thats 2 1/2 min. per cup, not too shabby. The windscreen knocked off 3 1/2 min. of the boil time. I did this test only once, and find this hard to grasp. Need to do more burn tests. Will report as soon as more tests are made. Never did test a windscreen around the snapple bottle.

Some thoughts led me to preventing the plastic threads on the snapple bottle from melting so it could be used to carry water also. I made a round split collar to act as a heat shield, you can see in the second and third photos, bottle on the right. Used .005 anodized aluminum sheet to make it. It's thin stuff, bout the thickness of red hair. Success, it worked!!!!!, tried several burn tests, no meltdown.

Twospeed--------I think you are absolutely right. Most backpackers want speed when it comes to their meals, that was the reasoning for my thoughts. 5 pounds of pressure is not much. The msr fuel bottles are made to withstand pressure when they are pumped up, thought they might work also. I promise not to persue this idea any further Anybody have any idea how much pressure is formed by the carbon dioxide in a can of pop/beer/snapple?

Where did you get the idea of Mr. Safety Factor and Mr. Repetttttative Stress? I kinda like those two little fellows. Are you an educator by proffesion? If not you should be. Thanks a bunch for your concern and input.

Skidds--------

I doubt Zelph has his lid screwed on tight.

I told skidds that my wife says something similar to that often. I'm still in laughter over that one skidds!!!!!!!

Frolicking Dinosaurs--------Thanks for your link, great info. Like the way you cook, in quantity!!!!!!

sum41punk91--------When you mentioned fuel bottle it made me think of water bottle. I went home and looked through my stuff and found the 1 litre flask that I purchased used for .59 cents, what a deal!!!!! Thanks for the tug on my grey matter. Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained


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[sum41punk91]

well zelph now that you made it we all wanna know all the specs of the stove and is there any real point to the stove other than to entertain us all i like the idea just wanna know if there is any chance of this stove going anywhere
thanks Toph

[K0OPG]

The 'jb Snapchick Stove'

[zelph]

Made two more test burns on the Brunton 4 cupper. It's hangin in there at around 10 min for the boil.

Now check this out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Made a windcreen/heat retainer for the Snapple bottle just like the one you see around the Brunton 4 cupper/1LT. It fits close, retains heat big time.

Put in 2 cups 48 degree water, 20ml denatured alcohol, air temp was at 48 degrees. The air was still(still in my garage ) lit it, put the windscreen/heat retainer on and then waited. TIC TIC TIC TIC TIC glub glub glub we got a boil in 5 1/2 min. This thing(snapchick?) is awesome. The original time was 7 1/4 min with a water temp beginnig at around 70 i believe, air temp 58.

Which one of you out there said it does'nt look like it heats well? Was that you Sgt. Rock?

I think I'll take this one to market, what do think?

COOPDOG---------I'm watchin your "6" Army can do that also

I still need to do some tweakin then I can give some specks. I can refine it!!!!

[IdahoDavid]

What a beautiful solution!

I have been experimenting with those aluminum bottles -- energy drinks, some kinds of beer, etc. I have set them directly in the coals of a campfire and also crafted arrangement where I put the bottle on top of the stove with a larger can around it so that the heat goes up the sides like a chimney. It's pretty unstable and not all that efficient. This takes care of those problems.

Kudos.

[zelph]

Made two more test burns on the Brunton 4 cupper. It's hangin in there at around 10 min for the boil.

Now check this out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Made a windcreen/heat retainer for the Snapple bottle just like the one you see around the Brunton 4 cupper/1LT. It fits close, retains heat big time.

Put in 2 cups 48 degree water, 20ml denatured alcohol, air temp was at 48 degrees. The air was still(still in my garage ) lit it, put the windscreen/heat retainer on and then waited. TIC TIC TIC TIC TIC glub glub glub we got a boil in 5 1/2 min. This thing(snapchick?) is awesome. The original time was 7 1/4 min with a water temp beginnig at around 70 i believe, air temp 58.

Which one of you out there said it does'nt look like it heats well? Was that you Sgt. Rock?

I think I'll take this one to market, what do think?


I still need to do some tweakin then I can give some specks. I can refine it!!!!

During these winter months have any of you started making one of these stoves/burners. I have not done anything further on them, want to but too cold in the garage..

Flames up the side of the stove, can you believe it??????????


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